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SICAR®6FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF SHOE PRINT AND TYRE MARK EVIDENCE RECOVEREDFROM SCENES-OF-CRIME
● Archives scene-of-crime shoe print and tyre mark evidence.
● Archives suspect shoe and tyre data.
● Matches suspects’ shoes or vehicle tyres to scenes-of-crime evidence.
● Identifies a vehicle tyre or shoe brand using up-to-date reference collections.
● Compatible with crime management systems.
● Multi-user networking facilities.
FF(UK):06/09/A
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SICAR®6, the latest version of Foster & Freeman’sevidence management system, has beenextended to handle tyre marks as well as shoeprints. Both shoe print and tyre mark evidencecan be entered into SICAR®6 and stored withcasework data in easy-to-search databases thathelp you to link crimes with suspects or othercrimes via their footwear or vehicles.
Pattern coding – a simple techniquefor comparing shoe prints and tyretreadsSICAR® provides a simple coding technique forcharacterising tyre marks and shoe prints to aid searchand comparison in database enquiries. This process,taking no longer than a minute or two, allows theoperator to create a coded description of the pattern of ashoe sole or tyre tread by identifying elemental features,
such as lines, waves, zigzags, blocks, circles, diamonds, etc. Each feature is assigned aspecific code, so that the set of codes becomes a powerful search parameter. And thecoding process is a straightforward one of selection, as variants of each type ofpattern feature are displayed for the operator to make a simple choice.
Creating databases of suspects and crimesWhether you are dealing with a shoe print or tyre mark, SICAR®6 is a total evidencemanagement system in which records are created with as much information on thesuspect, vehicle or crime as the operator considers valuable. As well as an image ofthe sole print or tyre tread and the pattern codes derived from them, dates, names,addresses, type of crime and modus operandi may be added. A 'notepad' section alsoallows the operator to enter miscellaneous information that may be interrogated viatext searches. Images accepted by SICAR®6 may be in colour or monochrome andinput from any source including digital cameras and scanners. Image compression isused to improve disk storage capacity.
Identifying suspectsSICAR®6 is designed to match suspects to crimes or crimes tosuspects by searching accumulated databases, making useof all available data. Thus, the operator may restrict asearch to records of a specific shoe manufacturer, forinstance, or to those citing a particular crime scenelocation, or name, type of crime or modus operandi. A search may also be restricted to events that occurredeither before or after a specific date or between two dates.Finally, when a search is complete, the match results aredisplayed for the operator to make the final assessment.
Identifying shoes and tyresWhen no specific suspect can be identified, the make,model and pictorial images of a shoe or tyre associatedwith a crime become valuable in the search for a suspect.Two reference databases, SoleMate® for shoes andTreadMate® for tyres, can provide this vital information.
Essential to each database record is a set of codes that represent the pattern of thetyre tread or shoe sole, derived using the same scheme as that provided in SICAR®.They provide the means of identifying the unknown shoe or tyre associated with thecrime, in a database enquiry. The databases are extensive, dating back to 1995.Currently, SoleMate® holds 22,000 records and TreadMate® 7,838 records.
SICAR®6 the management system for shoe print and tyre mark evidence
The patterns within tyres and shoeprintscontain many individual features which,when coded, provide a powerful set ofsearch parameters.
Shoe prints and tyre marks are coded byidentifying elemental pattern features.
SICAR®6 is new with more power and functionality
Specifying part ofthe search enquiry.
Many improvements to SICAR®6 are the result of feedback from users’practical experience and include the following features...
Statistical reportsSICAR®6 provides information on the frequency of occurrence of a shoe sole or tyretread pattern at crime scenes and is an estimate of the popularity of shoes or tyresusing the pattern. An internal auditing programme also allows you to monitor theuse and effectiveness of the system by monitoring key statistics.
Power to link recordsSICAR®6 can be used to create links between records,either automatically, as a result of a database search thatresults in two shoe print or tyre mark records beingmatched, or manually based on additional intelligence.For example, manual links can be made between therecords of a suspect and a known associate or the shoeprint records taken from several scenes of crime with asimilar modus operandi or different tyre marks found atthe crime scene. All links are displayed in a simple ‘tree’that allows the operator to follow up the associationsquickly.
Dealing with partial printsAn image compositor has been added to allow severalpartial scene-of-crime shoe prints or tyre marks to bejoined together to form a more complete image, makingvisual comparison and matching easier.
Compatible with intelligencemanagement systemsSICAR®6 can be interfaced to other selected intelligencemanagement systems with customized software suppliedby the company.
Networking systems tailored to yourneedsTo extend the power of SICAR®, workstations may benetworked, enabling operatives to search and examineshoe print records held on other databases acquired inother areas, helping to overcome the problem createdby regional or police authority boundaries. In a complexnetwork, the activities permitted on each workstationmay be restricted to data entry, coding or databaseinterrogation, for example.
Provision has been made for ‘roaming licences’ to makemulti-user systems more flexible and economic. Roaminglicenses permit operatives to use the system irrespectiveof their location.
Tyre mark and shoe print search results are presented as thumbnailimages for further assessment.
There are options for dealing with footwear or tyre mark evidence –from using an external agency, to undertaking the work in-house. Each has its advantages and disadvantages but, on balance, we believethat SICAR® used in-house gives you more...
Immediate resultsSICAR® allows you to use your shoe print evidence immediately, day or night, withresults available in minutes. With a network, information can be made availablethroughout an entire police authority.
Simple to useOver the years, our software engineers have perfected the system by listening to itsmany users and incorporating their suggestions for improvement. Now, usersgenerally need only two day’s training in order to use the system competently oncase-work. However, help and advice is always at hand through a telephone supporthelpline.
Cross-border collaborationNot only can SICAR® be expanded throughout your own authoritywith a network that links several workstations, it can accessdatabases held on other SICAR® networks, in other authorities,subject to agreed protocol, providing greater scope for linkingcross-border crimes through footwear evidence.
Product supportSICAR® is supported by a team of application specialists. This allows Foster & Freeman to provide continual product supportunaffected by absence, illness or change in personnel.
Suppliers contact detailsIn some cases extra information is required from a footwearsupplier or manufacturer. However, finding the companyresponsible for a particular brand and then locating personnelwithin that company can be a time consuming process. As part of our service Foster & Freeman will provide these contactdetails to you.
A system that’s always moving forwardImprovements are constantly being made to SICAR® and upgradesare offered from time to time to ensure that users have the bestproduct available. As well as carrying out its own research anddevelopment, Foster & Freeman collaborate with universitydepartments undertaking more fundamental research. Currentlysuch projects are aimed at using automatic pattern recognition asthe means of comparing the images of shoe prints or tyre treads.These are long term projects which if successful will beincorporated into future editions of SICAR® to make it even easierto use.
SICAR®6 the operational benefits
For easier visual comparison partial images can bejoined together to form a print impression.
The continually updated shoe and tyre reference collectionsSoleMate® and TreadMate® arereference databases providing 22,000examples of sports, work and casualshoes and over 7,838 tyres. Each record is provided with either aphotograph or an offset print andwhere possible both, showing the shoeor tyre pattern. This is also supported byadditional photographic images of thesubject to assist in visual identification.Obtaining good quality prints of tyretread patterns is straight forward but toprovide the maximum amount ofinformation from a shoe print, Foster &Freeman have developed a noveltechnique for capturing the instep areaof each sole. This can be a valuable partof a print for identification purposes asmanufacturer's logos are often moldedinto this part of the sole. Other vitalinformation includes the manufacturer,shoe model name and season ofintroduction.
Each database can be used as a stand-alone system or in conjunction withSICAR®6. As a stand-alone system,records may be retrieved usingmanufacturer and model references orby using ridge pattern codes, providingthe means of identifying shoes or tyresfound at the crime scene. All sole ortread pattern images in the databaseshave been pre-coded by experiencedcoders. Importantly, SoleMate® uses thesame footwear reference system as thesuppliers so that it is easy to tracefurther information when required. It also provides links between differentbrands of shoe or tyre which use thesame sole or tread, making itimmediately obvious if it is necessary toconsider more than one possible brandas being used at a particular crimescene.
The databases are kept up to date by ateam of researchers who continuallyliaise with manufacturers anddistributors, collecting data on their latest products.
SoleMate® and TreadMate® are available by subscription and subscribers receiveupdates, on DVD, with information of new models introduced during the interveningperiod.
An archive collection with footwear dating back to 1995 is also available.
After sales supportFoster & Freeman are always pleased to provide advice, installation, training andon-site maintenance world wide. (Please contact one of our offices for furtherinformation).
SoleMate® and TreadMate®
Dunlop: Grand Prix
Ascot: Magnet
Ben Sherman: Spitfire
Ben Sherman: Hurricane
Different brands of shoe or tyre that sharethe same sole pattern are contained withinthe reference database.
Foster & Freeman's offsetprinting technique capturesany features moulded into ashoe's instep, valuableinformation often lost by otherprocesses.
A team of researchers havedirect contact with footwearand tyre manufacturers andtheir distributors to updatethe SoleMate® andTreadMate® collections.
22,0007,838
SHOE PRINTS
TYRE TREAD PRINTS
Appointed Agent:
www.fosterfreeman.comHead Office & UK Sales Office:Foster & Freeman Ltd.Vale Park, Evesham,Worcestershire, WR11 1TD. UK
+44 (0) 1386 768050+44 (0) 1386 [email protected]
USA Sales Office: For enquiries from the USA and Canada
888 445 5048 888 445 5049
